Locomotor



C. E. CRAPO May 3l, 1932.

LOCOMOTOR Filed Maron 20, 1930 5 Slluaets-Sheet l 31a/oen torl H, M6 EN d May 31, 1932.

3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 20, 1930 gwuwtoz ww (wn. @Q

C. E. CRAPO May 3l., 1932.

LOCOMOTOR v Filed March 20, 1930 15 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented May 31, 1932' p A 1,860,3854

l :STATES PA-TENTceltico f engins cRAPo, oF YETLANDQQM l i v`I jf I Y LocoMo'Toil `V Y Application clear/[gigi V2o, 1930; ,sensi giro. `43291.26;

A This invention relates to new 'and useful bearingsrwhichlhy supporting-'theshaftfati improvements,- in locomotore' andfmorerparthesefpoints' prevent the `huckling:ofthe armti-cu-larlyftolthertypeoflocomotors designed `atuireg. E Y f forcuse in. underground.- conduits, ductsandI In order.toisecuref` the mostzfavorable trac.-` itheliike., tionjconditi'ons providenthef locomotorv with-i155- The objectof this invention is top-rovid-e -a spur wheels and further to. secureinerease' locomotor especially adapted fortravelling traction efficiency I provide means ofiexert` through .underground conduits, suchas are ing a fresilientpressure on the locomotorby usedv forelectric light andtelephone cahles, means 'of spring .tensioned idlers or rol-1ers for`the purpose of Stringing or threading carried hfyxthef locomotor and arranged toact i6@ therethrough; the small wirewhich-isiused as against lthe top surface of` they bore ofthe; a-tow` line `fo-rithe 'heavier .fwi'rey by. means of conduit. I also provide a Arelief clutch o-ntheV which thecablea-i's drawnithrough4 .the 'con-` motor: shaftwhichoperates when;.themotor` duit. J 1 i. p Y I is 'overloaded or when advance is interrupted lAslisfweHl known tolthose acquainted with with ,the current on. Alsoflj'provide, an? autof-L '65 the artrtofwhch this'inventiongrelatesthe matic,sw itch arrangement whichvoperatesat bores in the aforementioned conduitsare com-J a predetermined :point at .the end Vof the parative'lysmall in crosssection and-.thedistravel of v'the locomotor through the neontanee'betweenthe lateral inletswhichgive acduitl Alsoll provide rubber hoodsor-caps cess to the'condzuitsf is.- on .thefaverage about for closing theend's of the locomotorsolas to 70- fivey hundred feet. "T-herefore,a locomotor malretjhe same gas and waterproof:` 1 l. l Y adaptable. tothe i: yurposesetforth is limited invention also consistsfe'm` cert other? toma comparative y-smallqover-all cross seccombinations :and arrangements Tofu parts' nti'onsgtlL-arefaand' mustnbewableltofdevelop a WhichwilL-be hereinafter-set-"forth in. the' relatively high power efficiency. "LEhefarmaspecification,particularly pointed outinfthe 75A lture' ofithepropelling motoriwilhhave Vtolloe claims .and yillustratedin .the accompanyingrelati-vely small-in crossasectionand, 'if lthe drawings. 1 l i regular practicefin motor .building isilfol- 'eterringv totheaccompanying drawings' lowed, the armaturegmus-t hemade eXcessi-ve- Fig. lis ay longitudinal Vertical section of a 39" ly l'ongto compensateifor its Asmall diameter, conduit showing iny-locomotorfin side elevav 8D toimeetthe powerrequirements. `-Such'an tio-n. Figi-'2 isadetaile'd vief'wshowingfa armaturehoweverfcannot5bei-employed inea portion of one end ofthe locomotor; -?F1g. 3 device@lv of z thisfcharacter as the i dimension is acentralvertical sectional view of the loco- A limitations fwill: not:` permitV the .providingof` motor. VFig; 4 is a sectionon line 4'-4-,Fig. 1

5- suiliciently stout-supports, bearingsand the 3. Fig. isV a-seetion online 5f5, Fig.` 3; '85"' like necessary to preventan excessively long Figu is arsectio'non line-i, Fig; 3. 'Fig'.l armature .fromfbuckling :or otherwiserchang# 7'is-avseetion on"line"Z-'7,1Eig. l I*\`ig',8'is ingits alignment-relative toits'field'. a section on line 8 8, Figi; *Fi-g. 'Qlisga" -By myinventionl'havesoughttoprovidefa diagram lof-lthewi'ring.' f Fig-10 isgaviewA of new :and improved arrangementA -and fconthe clamp for con-nect-ingtheffeed wiretothejv 99" struction of the motor with theohject-ofselocomotor. lFig; lll-Aislaviewof-theciampi-Iig-; curing the requisite powervlwith ya` limited sleeve.I y i` cross-sectional :tarea A of armature f andilfie-ld Again referring to the? draw-ings,- av =-indi 5, andg'to this end 4I lhave devised anIV armature Cates the'fconduitand cfisthe boregor channel.fA i i `arrangeinent.whielr comprisesfafpluralitjy/ of therein".v Jhich is generallymectanguiarfinfT armaturesectionssaid armature vsections loef cross'gsection., l: l 1 ingispacedapartf'longitudinaily-onasingle 'The locomotora-consists ofalollowf-lo gi f` shaft andi connected in 'parallel to yacoI-nf tu'fdinal carriage-or frame whichis ingeneral"u monconimntator. "-Inthespacesbetween.the cylindrical in ffor-mandforconvenienceof f larmature-:sections lihave Fprovided suitable manufacture comprises a'tubi-ilar-lofody-por-j` ,A

k50 Y 35v carriedrby supports. 36 inserted through and - anden each'axleis `rigidly secured aworm gear39 which meshes `with said` worm. The Y i 'tion' 10, a'detachableneclrV 12 and cup shaped head `portion .at each indicated at 11 and portionslV and 14 carried by the neck portions.

The velectric motor for propelling the vdevice is arranged entirely within the tubular body portion 10 and. completely fills the end of the body portion,

cavity or-ichamber therein. Thejfield 14 and` field windings 15 may be arrangedonthe interior wall of the body .portion 10. YThe armature comprises a. motor or armature shaft 17 which extends the full length of the Y body portion 10 and the neck portions 11 and Y i mountedspacediarmature sections `19 and20.V

y and the extreme ends thereof are screw threaded. On the armature shaft 17 are These armature sections are constructed according to the Vregular practice but are quite small in-V diameterand relatively g long. l The comrnutaltorv is Vshown altg21' and thearmature sections arey connect/din parallel t'osaidrc'ommutatorf.l

i ofl'said shaft, where Midway in the neck portions are provided.y Y bearingsi 22 carrying spherical shaped jour.

nalsx23` for supporting the armature shaft 17 a little "way back from its ends.l .The ends they Vproject beyond said journals 23-are reducedin diameter and thefresulti-ng shoulders 24 v`shape to providethe malemembers of fric-r Onfea'c'h of the' reduced end.

.shoulder 2 4 tion clutches.n Y portions: of the shaft 17 "is mounted a worm i v 26,'iand`the'bore of said worm, .asat 25, is

formed conical. adjacent. tothe conical on the shaft `17 so asto formjthe femalelm'ember of'V the.. frictionfV clutch.

Y ofthe shaft 17 and between each nut and* the.

secured forV gether. and securlngtherworms to thelshafty disengaged,

l Y rigidlyY secured therein.

yClampir'lg nuts29-arescrewed on y,the ends adjacent worm is a spring Byscrewing .4.0

armature sections is secured a'j ournal 34 andV this journal is supported on rollerfbearings openings inthe tubular body portion 10V j VA shaft or axle 38 extends transversely beneath ,eachworm 26 on the motor shaft 17.

Y tractionwheels are Shown at `40 and theperim- Veters; of f said wheels are, provided Y.with teeth Orspurs.

relation.y to each -V wheels aresecured to thel axles by .th'ewell knownV clutch-arrangement involving balls y44:.lflrdCarri, slots 45..-

Thew hub caps of; the

is provided.

are given a conical I motor is a similar switch which'is arrangement.` l j Y 64 are..provided for'. closing.-v

the ends/of the locomotor torender the .samef` gasand waterproof-,- andtsaid'oapsr maybei secured in positionin any suitable way. .In'l'l- Y llhese teeth orjspursjmay be l .arranged in'V double rows having a staggered other as shownV at 41, The

wheels mayv be. provided with balls 46* mounted after the manner of a ball-castor to reduce friction in case the hub comes into contact withthe side walls of the conduit.

In order tomake the traction y'of said wheels 40 more efcient the followingV arrangement near each end is pivotallysecured an arm 47,

and each arm carries a wheeel or roller 48. A f

leaf spring 49vis securedto each arm 47 and the free end thereofrests on ythe surface of the locomotor. vvThe against the thereby exert a springjtension on the locomotoif f 'i At the forward end of the locomotor .Iprof On- .thertop of* the locomotor .y

arrangementv is such .that therspring'V will hold the upper surface of the conduit and'V 8'0 Y said rollers 48.

vide a switch 50 which Ais included in the cirf cuit 51 v.which 'supplies theV electricity toy theli 'motora This Vswitch 50'may bel of any suit able constructionfandis designed-itc be op- Y er'ated by a rod V52,;the pushingin ofiwhich: and the drawing outo-f the same will close the switch. /Th'e opening) of this switch will bebrfought aboutauto-v matically through the endof said rod com-n ing into contact with'aY suitable bumper 54 arranged at a predetermined pointnearthe end. of the locomotor through the'Y` will openV the switch of the travel conduit. Atthe opposite'` end fof? the locoto be manually operated.

Y designed y'.

V.The feedwire is shown at 60'and :tlieend thereof is vpreferably providedwith one mem ber Vr61 .of a quickly Vdetachable clamp, the' loo other member 62 offsaidfclamp-.fbeing ar-` ranged adjacent to the terminals of. the motor. This clamping device rnaylbe-in the form ofthe well Rubber capsv order Ytosecure the necky of thecap tightly known' pinand bayonetjslotl around the feedwire,--Ifprovide a sleevel" v whichy carries lugs '66. A. clamping` member 67 is provided having camlslotsfor- I engagement. with the-saidflugsfonfthe sleeve,VV Y and by swinging orltwisting the clamping 'member thersleeve is-drawny tightlyv lover the".V end-of thecap and isthen locked'in position v by bending down ears 69 around Athe wire.. At the rear end of the loco'motor'anY arm 7 lis provided t'owhich the .tow line 72l1na'y be ats.;

' What'I claim is: g vr;

- -1'. vIn a locomotor forconduitsandthe like, an elongated ibodyv 'portion provided with.y a :motor within said: :body .wportiong'` and extending.l longitudinally.,thereof, the.-

wheels,

shaft -o'f 'said motor' beilflig'-connected tousaidz I `wheels,\tl1e saidv motor comprising a field and V- 1 vplurality of spaced ,amnaturesectionsconnected .to a common; commutatoneach armar..V

ture section functioning as an independent armature, and journals for supporting said motor shaft intermediate of said armature sections and at its ends.

2. In a locomotor for-conduits and the like, an elongated body portion, a motor mounted v 'within said body portion and extending lon- Y field, a motor shaft,

gitudinally thereof, the motor comprising a and a plurality of spaced armature sections on said shaft and connected to a common commutator, bearings for supporting the shaft intermediate of said armature sections, traction wheels operatively mounted on said body portion, the perimeter of said wheels being serrated to increase the tractive power thereof and means operatii-:ly connecting the wheels with the motor sha 1 3. A locomotor for conduits and .the like comprising a body portion, traction wheels operatively mounted on said body portion, an electric motor mounted onsaid body portion for furnishing driving power, means for connecting the motor with the traction wheels, an electric circuit connectingsaid motor with a source of electricity and a switch arranged in said opening and closing said switch, and means for automatically operatingV said rod tovopen said switch when the locomotor approaches the end of its travel through a conduit.

4. A locomotor for conduits comprising an elongatedV hollow body portion, traction wheels operatively mounted on said body portion, an electric motor arranged entirely within said hollow body portion, means oper- -atively connecting the shaft of 2said motor with the traction wheels, means for quickly attaching electric conductors to said motor,

and means for preventing the entrance of air Y or waterV within said hollow body portion comprising rubber caps arranged over the ends of said hollow body portion and tightly engaging said conductors.

In testimony whereof I aiiiX my signature. CHARLES E. CRAPO.

circuit, a rod for. 

